Helen Weir joins John Lewis as FD

Former Lloyds retail chief Helen Weir returns to retail with appointment at John Lewis Partnership

HELEN WEIR, the former head of Lloyds Banking Group's retail division, is to join the employee-owned John Lewis Partnership, which encompasses John Lewis department stores and Waitrose supermarkets, as group finance director.

The decision will see Weir, who left Lloyds shortly after the appointment of António Horta-Osório as chief executive in March last year, return to retail having previously worked as finance director of Kingfisher before joining Lloyds as FD in 2004.

John Lewis said that Weir will join the company on 1 April, taking over from Marisa Cassoni on 1 June whose plan to retire was announced in September 2011.

Charlie Mayfield, chairman of the John Lewis Partnership, said: "Helen brings a wealth of both finance and retail experience and expertise and will be a great successor to Marisa, who has made an enormous contribution to the partnership over the last six years."

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